That said, my collection of footwear has diminished drastically in the past year, having fully embraced the concept of the capsule wardrobe (you can check out the shoes that I’ve moved on from on Poshmark).

And though I’ll probably always be a serial browser (I’m looking at you, Zara), I really only buy to replace a worn pair (what IS it with Birkenstocks?), or to fill a specific need. This is radically new behavior for me, but – much like the rest of my now-minimal wardrobe – has made life easier and allowed me to truly enjoy what I DO own so much more.

The one thing that has never changed?

The first thing I do – as soon as I buy a pair of shoes – is to take them to the shoemaker to have rubber taps put on the heels. I do this on all my shoes – from cheap to expensive – and let me tell you, it makes ALL the difference.

Taps cost next-to-nothing, yet completely preserve the heels. And should they wear down eventually, they are easier and cheaper to replace than the heels themselves. My local shoemaker will even put them on while I wait if he’s not too busy.

Taps extend the life of a pair of shoes immeasurably, and since I’m buying less these days that’s a good thing.